Maria Rippo's blog for people who are attempting to live a healthy lifestyle both spiritually and physically. We are all on a journey, come join me and we'll learn together! May you be rich in health...be wellthy!

The Green Smoothie Challenge

Lose Weight and Feel Great!

The Green Smoothie Challenge

Kick start your heatlhy lifestyle with The Green Smoothie Challenge! I have created this cleanse as a way for you to refresh and rejuvenate. Many people find that they lose a lot of weight, increase their energy levels and improve their health. So, come join the fun at my new Web site http://www.thegreensmoothiechallenge.com/Get your friends to do it with you. This makes it so much easier!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Are you wondering where in the world to find a doctor that uses a holistic approach to medicine? Visit www.functionalmedicine.org to find a holistic health practitioner in your area. What is a holistic health practitioner? Functional medicine practitioners bring together conventional medicine with natural health to give you a complete picture of your health through conventional testing methods and natural healing techniques.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

I have created a cleanse to help you kick start your new year with a fresh lifestyle change! The Green Smoothie Challenge is a time of refreshment where you will drink only green smoothies and munch on fresh fruits and veggies for 1,3,5, or 10 days. I have launched a campaign for the first annual world-wide Green Smoothie Challenge. Join people from around the world who desire to improve their health and lose weight, set new goals and be rejuvenated. The Official Green Smoothie Challenge contest begins on January 5, 2010, the same day as the world-wide event. Find all the details and grab my book, The Green Smoothie Challenge Companion on the new Web site at www.thegreensmoothiechallenge.com. Hope to see you there.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

There is a tremendous amount of extra levels of energy in live foods. One of the studies that most demonstrates this was done in Russia by Dr. Israel Breckman. The experiment was simple. He fed the same mice cooked food and live-food at different times. This was the exact same food and the exact same mice, the only difference was, the food was either cooked or uncooked. He measured the amount of energy and endurance the mice had when they were eating only live foods, and when eating the exact same amounts of food in its cooked state. The mice had three times more energy and endurance on the live-food than when they were eating cooked food. If nutrition were a simple matter of calories, there should not be any difference in endurance and power between eating the live and the cooked food. However, there clearly was a difference in the effect. This is because foods are not simply calories. This calorie paradigm, developed in 1789, is completely out of date, even though it is still being used by people in the nutritional sciences. What is the difference?

Food has subtle nutrients, general nutrients, electrical energies, phytonutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. The electrical potential for our tissues and cells is a direct result of the liveliness of our cells. Live foods enhance the electrical potential in our cells, between the cells, at the interface of the cell membranes, and at the interface of the cells with the microcapulary electrical charges. When cells have the proper microelectrical potential, they have the power to rid themselves of toxins and maintain their selective capacity to bring appropriate nutrients, oxygen, and hydrogen into the cell, into the nucleus of the cell, as well as to feed the mitochondria. This helps to maintain, repair, and activate the DNA. Professor Hans Eppinger, who was the chief medical director of the first medical clinic at the University of Vienna, found that a live-food diet specifically raised the microelectrical potential throughout the body. He discovered that a live-food diet increases selective capacity of the cells by increasing their electrical potential between the tissue cells and the capillary cells. He saw that live-food significantly improves the intra and extracellular excretion of toxins, as well as absorption of nutrients. He and his co-workers concluded that live foods were the only type of food that could restore microelectrical potential to the tissues. In essence we can say that by restoring electrical potential to cells, live-food rejuvenates the life force and health of the organism.

(I must say that after seeing my husband on only green smoothies and green juices for 6 days I believe that live foods has a greater impact on health than any other category of foods. It changes a person's appearance!) - Maria's Commentary

Saturday, September 5, 2009

There are salads and then there are healthy salads and then there are SUPER healthy salads. I like to make the third type myself and I thought I'd share with you how to make a super healthy salad!

First of all, you need some dark greens. An organic baby lettuce mix usually has a lot of great dark greens in it. Kale is the healthiest dark green so add some of that too. Next chop up a bunch of veggies such as jicama, carrots, celery, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, green onion, etc... then add some sprouts such as broccoli, alfalfa, mung bean, etc.. and some sunflower sprouts. You can add some hemp seed too for a great protein source.

If you know me, you know that I love red wine!! Since I have been on my healing journey, this is something I have not consumed much of. I was visiting a friend yesterday and she told me about some great organic, biodymically farmed red wines that are available at Trader Joe's for a very smart price!! Biodynamic wine differs from organic wine in that not only does the farmer stay away from pesticides, chemicals and added sulfites, they also pay much attention to amending the soil, only planting at very specific times and harvesting only when the fruit is at its optimal level of high nutritional availability. I have tried one variety of the organic red wine at Trader Joe's and it wasn't that great. My friend told me about three types that are really good and very good for you!! Now that is my kind of combination:)

The three brands of biodynamic red wines that she suggested are Bonterra merlot, Dynamic red table wine which is a cab/merlot combo and Well Red. I'm so excited to try these!! Let me know what you think by commenting below!!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

In the story that God has written for my life I have been encouraged by all that He has chosen to teach me through the trials He gives to me. The main thing I have realized is what an important part trials have in the story of our lives. Trusting God when life is painful is an important lesson that God desires all of us to learn. My pastor often reminds us that our lives are like a mystery novel that God has already written. He is not just trying to figure it out as He goes, but He wrote the special story of each of our lives with a very specific purpose. He loves to give us 11th hour surprises, comedy and trials in our story. The purpose of it all is to remind us that He is in control, it is already written and we can trust Him fully as our story unfolds!!! He will make good of our story. It is a comedy and will have a good ending! He lifts up His people and shows them that ALL things work together for the good of those who love HIM. Just like we don't read the end of a good book until we get to the end because it ruins the suspense and the enjoyment, so also God does not reveal to us His purposes for us or the details of our future. It would spoil the surprise! He truly wants us to learn to rest in Him and enjoy the ride. He enjoys taking us on the journey and having us turn to Him in the midst of it all.

In the end, our suffering will bring forth glory just as Christ's suffering brought forth glory. God simply wants us to learn to trust Him through it all. The true purpose of our trials is learning to trust God even when life is painful. He wants us to learn to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We will understand, in the end, why we had to go through all that we did. Press on. Heaven awaits us, eternal joy is the end of the story for those who believe!!

This life is truly about learning to endure trials. It is our preparation for eternity. In comparison to eternity, this life is but the blink of an eye. Love God and love your neighbor. Trust, persevere and seek Him in all things!!!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Is your sex drive diminished and leaving you feeling confused? It is very normal for people over 40 to experience a decrease in their sex drive. Things like financial stress, mulitple children, diets high in processed foods, hormonal imbalances and the like are big contributors to this issue. There are ways to boost your sex drive naturally and Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, MS, DC, CCN, DACBN is an expert in this area. If you are looking to boost your sex drive naturally, you may want to check out this article. Dr. Ritamarie has overcome some major health challenges naturally and is more than qualified to give you some great tips for getting back into tip top health in all areas! Click on the title of this article to view her informative article on boosting your sex drive!

Friday, August 14, 2009

I was contacted by best selling author Tom Venuto who wrote Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. He wanted to know some of my secrets for staying slim, healthy and young as a busy mom of four! Click here to listen to the audio MP3. Enjoy:)

Thursday, August 13, 2009

OH MY, these look good. One of my favorite nutritionists, raw food expert and superfood guru, David Wolfe watches as chef Jason Rabel makes almond milk, chocolate maca milk and a vanilla shilajit latte. A must watch video. Click on the title above to watch this short video. To order the superfoods mentioned you can try going to Raw Vegan Source or Ultimate Superfood

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I am so excited because I found that there is an Artesian spring close to me!! You can fill your water bottles for free from a spout at this spring. I knew about it but it wasn't until I kept hearing that I should be drinking fresh spring water that I decided to check it out. If you click on the title above it will link you to a site where you can find out if there is a spring in your area too!!

So, I went to the spring with my three 5 gallon water bottles and there was a line of people getting water from it. I began to ask if they had been getting water from the spring for a long time and there were three older people there who had been getting water from this spring for 20 - 25 years. They looked healthy and all had great skin. Since our skin is made of minerals, it makes sense that drinking mineral rich water would make the skin beautiful. So, I'm a believer now!! I will no longer pay my 45 cents a gallon for water at PCC!!! I am so excited to get to drink mineral rich water fresh out of the ground for free.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Pour the mineral water into a pitcher and add the juice from your limes and the stevia. Most stevia comes with a small scooper. If your does not have the scooper, then just add enough to make it sweet enough for your liking! Stir and serve. Pour over ice into pretty stemware. I have found that people of all ages find this drink very refreshing and it's a great alternative for alcoholic drinks!!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

I'm out on the lake for the weekend with some wonderful friends who are all called "mommy" by some amazing littler people. We have had some really great conversations and I thought I'd share some of the wisdom that has been passed around. One thing that we have talked a lot about are emotions. So many of us were raised with the idea that emotions are bad and are not to be felt.

Emotions in fact are neutral. They are not bad or good or right or wrong in and of themselves. They are actually a very real, God given part of who we are and how we interpret the world. Emotions are a thing to be very aware of and to feel. What we do with our emotions is the part that we must be very careful about. We can easily act in a very destructive manner as a result of our emotions, especially when we attempt not to feel them. It is so important when we are acting out or when our children are doing that, to sit down and decide what is causing that behavior. Am I sad, worried, angry, stressed, tired, hungry, frustrated or...?? It is so important to validate that feeling. Often times just validating our own or our children's emotions is enough to get relief from it. Trying not to feel it is where we often err. This does not help and usually ends up in an explosion of emotion at a later time. A better way to deal with it is to realize that it is our choice as to how we handle and think about whatever is bothering us.

I have written an article about changing your thinking that you may find helpful and that you can link to right here. So, realize that what you experienced was in fact scary, stressful, frustrating, sad, etc... and next, think about it in a way that will help the situation. You must not despair. You alone can control how you think and behave about your circumstances. You may not be able to change them, but figure out what you can do to make the situation better and focus on that instead of on what you cannot change or do anything about. This is so important to grasp as a "mommy" because it makes a difference in how we talk to our children when they are upset. Validate their feelings and then, right away, get them thinking about what they can do about the situation. Very often the simple concept of returning evil with love will solve their situation. When they did not return evil with love, teach them to seek forgiveness for their part in the situation. Teach them practical ways of returning evil with love while still maintaining healthy boundaries so they see when others do actually treat them wrongly. Acknowledge that what the other person did was rude, mean, hurtful, etc... but that if we love them back even after they treated us wrongly, we will do more to help them than anything else we could do.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

This morning we had fun in the kitchen just putting ingredients together and I made some very yummy cookies that taste just like lemon cream pie. I had made some almond milk for the kids and had some leftover pulp. I used to throw the pulp away, but now I just mix it up with other ingredients and make something out of it. The other day I made chocolate chip cookies and today I made lemon cream cookies. Of course, they are raw, I just dehydrate them. They are dairy, gluten, egg and flour free so anyone can really eat them. I always test these recipes on my kids and so far the girls have begged for more of both.

Raw, Lemon Cream Cookies(All of these ingredients are estimations as I always just throw stuff in and then taste it!!)1/2 cup almond meal or however much you have left after making almond milk1/2 cup ground flax seeds3/4 cup coconut flakes1/2 lemon, juiced1/2 cup xylitol1/2 cup coconut butter1 tsp vanilla2 TBS hemp seeds1/2 tsp Himalayan salt1/2 cup or more water

Mix all ingredients together and add enough water to make a cookie like dough. Form into cookies and place on dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 145 degrees for 2 -3 hours and then turn it down to 118 degrees and dehydrate for 8 hours or until done. I store these in the freezer.

For raw chocolate chip cookies just replace the lemon juice and coconut with some chocolate chips. I use the healthy chocolate chips, but they did have a little evaporated cane juice. I figure that is a big step up from the alternative of white flour cookies!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

I recently had the pleasure of listening to Kevin Gianni at the local raw food festival. He is a high energy, very knowledgable and realistic raw foodie, author and successful personal trainer! He believes in a high raw lifestyle which is very in line with my own convictions about eating. He is very understanding about the busy lifestyle which most of us live. He has a book called "High Raw" which is a free downloadable book you can get here. He also wrote a book called "The Busy Person's Fitness Guide" which is availalbe for purchase on his website. His program only involves a medicine ball and an exercise ball and all of the exercises can be performed in a room as small as your bathroom....so anyone can do it:)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

As of today, August 5, 2009, my life on a 98% raw, sprouted diet has literally transformed every aspect of me in just 4 short months. I can't believe the impact this new way of eating has had on me. Just the other day as I was commenting on my new skin that is so hydrated, soft and beautiful, I said to my hubby that I just am so happy about the impact this lifestyle change has had on me. His comment back to me was that he's amazed that it is transforming not only my physical health, but my mental health as well. It's amazing what happens when you get some energy and vitality back and you can actually think clearly. I am a much more calm and nice person right now than I was 4 months ago. I have worked hard in this area for sure. I have really been focusing on my thought life and self talk. I have been practicing gratitude and thinking in positive terms about my circumstances instead of the constant negative/complaining ones I was practicing. I have truly come to realize that God has me right where He wants me right now and I am content to know that. I wake up and think about the things I am grateful for. I have helped my kids do the same and what a difference that makes in a person's perspective!!!

I have had an interesting experience getting to the point of being as raw as I am with my eating. I have been gentle on myself and here and there when I have needed some fish or chicken, I have allowed myself to eat it. I have allowed myself to drink wine here and there and even have dessert on occassion. I do eat fruit from time to time as well and if I totally blow the whole raw thing, I don't worry about it. I just get right back on track and enjoy the process. The amazing thing has been that I get full so incredibly fast on flesh foods and wine makes me very tired quickly. Another interesting experience has been the cravings I have for salad. I try to switch up my eating here and there, but truly, I mostly only want green smoothies and salads right now with some raw nuts(especially walnuts), olives and lemon tahini dressing. I think that because it is summer my body just wants food that has a lot of water in it. Since I am not eating fruit right now, the next best thing is fresh veggies. I eat a very colorful salad full of greens, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, red peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, parsley, basil, jicama, , radishes, etc...

One amazing side affect of eating like this is that I am rarely hungry anymore unless it has been 4 hours or so since I last ate. I get full very quickly too. I believe this is happening because the food I eat is so nutrient dense that my body simply does not need a lot. My weight is very stable even though I eat less, which is good. My body is just where it wants to be!

As far as my Candida goes, I just had a check up and it looks like I am getting to the end of the Candida challenge. My eczema still finds my eyelids to be good company and has chosen to stay with me for now. I am patient with it though and know that it will eventually go away!! My eczema is a blessing in disguise for sure because it is the one thing that made me take a good hard look at my life and the amount of stress I was choosing to allow myself to experience. Granted, our life experiences have been less than dull in the last few years, but I allowed it all to really eat at me and I became bitter and negative through it. Had the eczema not shown up, I am not sure I would have seen how truly devastating my negative attitude was on my health. I can happily report that I really am learning to see things differently and it is changing my life for the good (as well as my family's life!!) And when that anxiety or negativity pops up I forgive myself and ask for forgiveness and move forward.

As far as the differences in my health go, here is a list of all the positive changes I have experienced in the last four months ( it took 6 weeks on this diet along with very strong probiotics and lots of dark greens to begin to see any changes!!):

- My hormonal imbalance is regulated!! Thank God, no more dual personality for two weeks out of the month!!!- My dry, scaly skin is gone and has been replaced with soft, hydrated, shiny new skin!- I am no longer constantly hungry which I attribute to the fact that I am now fully nutrified by my diet as well as the fact that I am no longer using food to self medicate, calm and numb my emotions. Instead I am learning to deal with my emotions in a healthy manner... fewwhhhh!!- The toenail fungus under one of my toes is totally gone, one more to go!!- My energy level is amazing! I am clear headed and have a happy disposition rather than an exhausted, negative one.- I don't need as much sleep.- I am beginning to be able to run again and can take power walks daily!- My weight is very stable. I no longer have a crazy cycle of gaining and losing and being mad at myself when I really get off track. - My food cravings are totally gone. I only crave what is good for me! This is a hugely freeing feeling for me b/c I used to obsess about eating things that were less than optimal for my health.- I am off of caffeine and feel very energetic. This took a good week of napping daily and feeling wiped out. My adrenals finally kicked in:)- No more puffy eyelids- No need to constantly use chapstick b/c my lips are no longer dried out- Icky film on my tongue is gone- No need for breath mints anymore- I almost always have plenty of energy to read to my kids and be read to by my kids at bedtime and even fold laundry and work a little or read before going to bed!! This is another hugely satisfying part of eating so well. In the past I was absolutely exhausted by 8 o'clock at night and yelled often at my kids at that time of day. - I get many more hugs from my children and husband now. I think it's because I am just much more calm and approachable:)- I can accomplish much more in a day b/c I feel good and I sleep less - My breathing much deeper now. It used to be very short and quick and uncomfortable because of my anxiety. - Ok, this one is a little gross to admit but I used to get BO quite easily. I never could wear a shirt twice and now my BO is gone!! I don't use deoderant so this is a very handy detox side effect!!- My foot cramps have disappeared. This is a really exciting occurence for me b/c my foot cramps were the reason I had to stop triathlon training b/c I could not longer swim without getting major cramps.

As you can see, the more I eat healthy and cleanse my body, the more I want to eat healthy and cleanse my body because it literally makes a difference in the person that I am. I hope my Candida recovery story and journey onto a raw food diet is inspiring to you. Please let me know!! I'd love to hear from you below:)

Friday, July 31, 2009

MSM is most commonly known for its affect on the health of our joints, but there are so many other health benefits of MSM that it is well worth learning more about this all important mineral. From treating arthritis to growing more hair, the health benefits of MSM are far reaching. It is even helps you get more benefit from all of the other nutrients you take in! Read my latest article called MSM: The Health Miracle

We would all love to look younger and be healthier. New, ground breaking research shows us how to do this for free right in our own backyard! Learn why being grounded will not only improve your health, but literally will make you younger and live longer! The importance of being grounded is proven by peer reviewed medical research. Read my article about how you can get grounded and why you might like to add this simple, free habit to your daily routine.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Have you realized that your thinking is other than positive a lot of the time? It is very common for people to think in terms of the negative side of things rather than the positive. Changing how you think might seem to be a daunting task, but if you put a little effort in and simply grasp the concept of how to change your thinking, you will be amazed at how differently you begin to operate. As Earl Nightengale so famously said, "You become what you think about," learning what you think about and changing it if necessary can be a very positive step in the right direction. Read my latest article about how to change your thinking here.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Kefir, a yogurt-like drink meaning "feel good" in Turkish, can give your immune system the boost it needs in order to protect against infectious disease and even to fight cancer! Learn about the health benefits of kefir in my latest article.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

If you keep up on my blog you are well aware that God has chosen to place some great trials in the life of my family over that last few years. I will not go into detail about them here, but rather, I'd like to share what God has been teaching us through the gift of tribulation! I cannot claim that we never feel great sadness or loss. We do. We have even hit the point of despair at times when we have taken our focus off of God and have thought for a moment that we deserve better. I think we all struggle in this way. We see trials as bad things, but we need to see them as gifts. They are God's way of stretching and growing us. I really don't think it's possible to learn and to grow when everything is just fine all the time. I don't know if that is even something that anyone experiences. Trials are just part of life. We have no control over them, but boy, if we let them, they can sure gain control over us.

Recently our Pastor reminded us that God has us right where He wants us right now! That is an all important truth to understand and believe wholeheartedly. God is training us for glory, to bear the weight of glory and the only way we will be able to bear that weight is if we now learn to bear the weight of tribulation by trusting that God has us EXACTLY where He wants us to be right now. We do not need to try to understand why, we just need to trust that truth!!

Romans 5:1 - 5 says "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produced perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

You can see very simply that tribulation has a big place in our lives for teaching us perseverance, hope, character and the ability to experience the love of God.

It gets even more interesting than this though. As Christians, our hope is to live in glory eternally. Well I never knew this before, but glory is weighty and we will not be able to bear the weight of glory without first learning to bear the weight of tribulation.

II Corinthians 4:16 - 18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

If you are finding it difficult to keep up that healthy eating on a budget, don't worry, you are not alone! Eating organic on a budget can prove to be challenging, but there are many things you can do to keep the costs down and the nutrition up!!Check out my newest tips and tricks for healthy, organic eating on budget.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Are you feeling tired, depressed, PMS, irritable, have eczema or psoriasis, indigestion, food cravings, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, dehydration, white tongue, toenail fungus, puffy eyes, decreased sex drive, food cravings (especially for sweets), acne, gas, bloating, low blood sugar, vaginal yeast infections, weight gain? If you experience a lot of these symptoms, you may want to learn more about Candida Albicans. It is estimated that over 90% of our population has this condition. It is simply an overgrowth of yeast in your intestines caused by overuse of antibiotics and lack of good bacteria in the intestines. Stress is also a major contributor to this imbalance. Read my Candida Albicans article series to find out more about what Candida is, what causes Candida overgrowth, eating on the Candida diet and the natural way to kill Candida.

It always amazes me to look around a room and see that some people are so peppy, full of life and energy and seem mostly happy. Then I look at others and they just look tired and worn out, all the time. I am one of those people that tends to be on the tired side unless I keep my Candida under control which is hard even when you eat healthy. You have to manage your stress level so that your immune system keeps up it's end of the bargain. You have to limit alcohol, which I love wine:) You can't eat much sugar in any form including fruit and you need lots of healthy bacteria. Exercise is important too. Well, I have 4 kids and a hubby and taking too much time to take care of myself is hard. But, if I don't, I can really suffer. Treating Candida to get rid of it if that is what is causing your symptoms will literally change your life. You will go from being one of those tired, never feeling well people to the peppy, full of life person you ought to be. It is certainly worth a try!! You will be healthier by going off of most grains and all sugar. It takes about six weeks to notice the change, but boy, when you do, you will not believe it!!

Has the possibility of getting the swine flu got you worried? Right now is a great time to strengthen your immune system so that if you do get exposed to it, your body will be ready for combat!! Read my Natural Swine Flu Prevention article and if you already have the swine flu and are looking for natural ways to treat it, read my Natural Swine Flu Treatments article.

The most important treatment for this flu is not to worry about it. Do your best to strengthen your immunity, but don't stress out about it. Stress causes more harm to our immune system than anything else!!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

If you know me, you probably know that I love to play in the kitchen making up recipes. In fact, actually following a recipe to a t is almost impossible for me:) I always change something. My kitchen is like a laboratory. This is one reason that I really enjoy making raw food recipes. You can't really mess them up and nothing has to be perfect. Things don't rise (or fall) and you just get a sense for what goes well together and what does not. So, today, I had a bunch of sprouted buckwheat that I had been sprouting for a few days. I knew I wanted to make some yummy cracker bread and boy did I get it right this time! I even wrote it down as I went, which I am becoming better at so that I can recreate my creations and share them. Well, THEN, I had a chocolate craving and was out of all of my raw sweets. So, I decided to try something a little new and use my buckwheat sprouts to make raw brownies. OK, let me just say, "to die for"!! Even my girls licked the spatula, the bowl, and begged for more brownies. They are a hit!! Here is the recipe. It's so easy. I know sprouting seems like a big pain, but once you get into the groove of it, you just get used to rinsing sprouts every time you do the dishes. For more info. on sprouting grains, seeds, etc.. visit www.sproutpeople.com or check out my article on Brighthub.

Place sprouts, almond butter and melted coconut butter into food processor and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with coconut butter or olive oil and pour batter into dish. Place in freezer. Once fully frozen, remove brownie from pan and cut into small, bite sized pieces. Store in ziplock bag in freezer and eat whenever you need a chocolate fix!! Freezing will not destroy the live enzymes and nutrients in the sprouts! You may also wish to dehydrate the brownies which is fine too! You can dehydrate them at 118 degrees overnight. This is great to do if you want to serve the brownies warm with some raw ice cream!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

As you know, I am a sprouter extraordinaire! I LOVE sprouting. It is the most economical and easy way to add an enormous amount of nutrition to your life. It is so exciting to soak 3 TBS of broccoli seeds and then yield 4 or 5 cups of sprouts! Nothing, well almost, pleases me more than to hear my kids asking for more broccoli sprouts. I just always have them going and I have found a very simple way to sprout them. Enter, Sprout People . These people know their stuff and what they say about their seeds is true!! I have tried many sprouting seeds and I have never been happier with the simplicity of sprouting until I found Sprout People!! They even have a sprouting kit for kids so they can experiment and be successful! No better way to get your kids excited about eating sprouts than when they grow them themselves!!! This is a good place for any beginning sprouter to start. Happy sprouting:)

Yesterday I made my hubby a sandwich on Ezekiel 4:9 bread with wild turkey that he had brought home, tomato, broccoli sprouts, mayo and mustard. He came home from a day of shrimping and said, "Babe, were those the sprouts YOU made? They were so good. I could eat those every day!" Music to my ears:)

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Are you aware that even cosmetics and skin care sold in health food stores can contain toxic ingredients? You can check the safety of your cosmetics, shampoo, lotions, etc... at www.safecosmetics.org and you can also find out what brands are safe to use!!!

Every day I fill my 2.2 liter jug with water, a few pinches of Himalayan or Celtic salt, a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some stevia. I send the kids to school with this refreshing drink as well. If you do not eat processed foods, adding the salt is very healthy as it allows your cells to soak up the hydration from the water more easily. This is not a good idea for people whose diets consist of processed foods!! The salt and lemon also add good minerals to the water. The lemon is a great source of daily vitamin C as well. Here's to your wellth!!

Monday, April 13, 2009

In the last few months I developed some sort of eczema or psoriasis on my eyelids of all places! I am trying to see this as a blessing because because maybe I would not take such serious steps to cure it if it were in a less obvious place. I believe that all disease is the same. In short disease = dis ease within the body or imbalance. I have always struggled with things like my energy level and moods but I have never really experienced a visible symptom of dis ease. It has been humbling for me much like the entire last three years of my life. I believe stress has a LOT to do with this. It has forced me to take my stress level very seriously. I am the type that can tend to take on way too much and then not have time to nourish my spirit. In the last few months I have experienced very shallow breathing which is a huge sign to me of uneasiness. I realized that I have been using food to comfort myself. At the same time I have not been good about reading my Bible and praying and meditating. I am going to make these, as well as deep breathing a big priority. I also plan to tackle the things that are causing me stress.

We need to listen to our bodies before big problems arise. I could do all sorts of things to take away the symptoms of this problem, but if I do not take it out by it's roots, like anything, it will get worse. So, I have gone on a very extreme diet and am taking a product called Zeolite. I am following Gabriel Cousens, MD Phase 1 diet which is basically comprised of no sugar, even fruit sugar, no grains, no dairy, no meat. What is left you ask? I am eating fish, but mainly I am eating green smoothies, salad, sprouted buckwheat and nuts and seeds. He gives many recipes so I do not get sick of eating this way. It does take a lot of focus to do this but now that I am two weeks into it I am a different person. It absolutely amazes me and my husband and those who are very close to me to see the difference. I am taking in a LOT of greens and chlorella, spirulina and blue-green algae. My mood is amazing. My energy is great. My eyes are bigger. My skin is clear. I am thriving. In order to stay on the diet, I wrote myself a note about my motivations for doing it. I really had not been feeling well. My moods swings were really bad. My feet were killing me which is changing so much. My feet are feeling better. I am hydrated, which is very amazing to me. I am usually dehydrated. I feel warmer. I just stand amazed at the affect food can have on a person!!

The most amazing thing that happened at the beginning is that the minute I quit eating grains and sugar, I dropped 5 pounds. Then I went to a health seminar and they said that the two most damaging foods are processed carbohydrates and refined sugar. Those things were making me retain water and it just went out of me the minute I stopped eating them. My skin cleared up in those three days too. My eyes don't feel heavy either. I am still amazed at what it does to take just those two food groups out of my life.

I will continue to give updates on this process. I am planning to be on Phase I for three months. I will do a green juice fast in there too. I am also planning to do at least one colonic as I have heard that this is the first step one should take when trying to rid oneself of dis ease. Colon cleansing is the first step to good health. I hear that the gravity method is the way to go.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Have you ever been on a diet? How many have you tried? Have you learned that for the most part, diets for the sole purpose of weight loss don't work? I have never in my life been able to lose weight simply to be more thin. Some people can and it always amazes me because trying to lose weight has usually ended up in gaining weight for me. Does this sound familiar to you? The funniest statement people make to me is, "you are so lucky to be thin." WOW, they think it's luck. No, it's actually hard work and hard work alone, but the hard work is not about being thin. Yes, I want to be thin like anyone else, but not just for thin's sake. It is proven that excess weight causes disease. Excess weight causes frustration, depression, worry, guilt, fatigue, etc... and it's these reasons that motivate me to eat well and the end result is being thin, but it is not the motivation. Having discipline in the area of eating well carries over into every other area of my life. It is that simple, the other areas are motivation enough for me to keep on keeping on. I don't want to be sluggish. I don't want cancer, heart disease, etc... and I will work to do what I can to prevent it based on the knowledge that I have.

How do you stay on a good eating plan?1. If you fail to plan, then plan to fail. Sit down on Saturday and make your meal plan. Go to the store and buy all that you need for the week. I make it pretty simple. I keep a list of healthy snacks. I keep a couple of treat foods made. I drink my green smoothie, I eat a salad for lunch with dressing that I make once a week. I usually have an avocado and some soaked nuts on my salad and I dress it with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, Himalayan salt and cracked pepper. The only meal I spend much time on is dinner which I plan out so that I am not stuck at the last minute having to order pizza!!

2. Don't fall pray to the temptation of thinking constantly about all the foods you can't eat. Instead, get creative with what you CAN eat. Focus on all the things you CAN choose from and make up your own recipes!! The other day my kids and my husband were eating chips and guacamole. The guacamole had some things in it I couldn't eat and I am not eating corn or cooked foods right now, so I couldn't have any. I wanted it so much so I got to thinking about what flavors were there that I COULD eat. I made the yummiest salad with romaine lettuce, avocado, yellow pepper, tomato, celery, cucumber, parsley, basil, and I dressed it liberally with fresh lemon juice, lots of Himalayan salt, fresh ground pepper, and olive oil. It completely hit the spot. I made it again the next night and my whole family loved it.

3. Make a list of all the ailments you might like to get rid of and how you would feel if you could feel any way you'd like to get the most out of life and be able to serve your family, neighbors, community and all those around you. I want energy and vitality so much that it is not worth it for me to sacrifice those things by eating something that will give me a few moments of gratification and maybe days of feeling bad. It's simply not worth it. It is truly amazing to me what happens when I am true to myself with my eating. I get organized. I am a better mom and wife. I am a better friend. I think less about me and more about others. I prioritize. I can think clearly. I set goals. I pray and read my Bible more often. In fact, I can't think of one negative thing that happens when I am disciplined in this area. TRY IT!!!

4. Get some good books on health and read a little often. Whenever I feel unmotivated, I start reading about how food affects my health. A couple of books I really enjoy are "The Fast Track Detox Diet", "The Raw Food Detox Diet", "Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine" and "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy". Find the type of eating that works best for you and read a lot about it. Let your health be your motivation and the weight will fall off.

I have often awoke in the morning feeling physically horrible after a night of having "fun" by drinking wine and eating french bread, processed carbs, cheese and desserts. I am tired, bloated, and unable to function at my peak. I have so often thought of not eating these types of foods and really limiting my wine intake in order to feel better. But then, I struggle with the fact that I want to live a life of moderation and not extremism. I tend to think back to biblical times and what they ate in order to keep myself in check with my own eating. They feasted at appropriate times, they fasted at appropriate times and they ate their daily fare well, daily. What did feasting look like back then? Was the food actually harmful to their health or were they celebrating the bounty that God had given them in it's natural form? It had to be the latter because they did not have foods that were processed and refined and irradiated and treated with formaldehyde, pesticides, and other toxic, disease causing chemicals. Feasts were not held daily either.

When I eat food in its natural form and that is what makes me thrive. When I put processed foods in my body they act like poison and make me miserable. It's that simple. I believe that the tastes that God gave to food and spices are sufficient most of the time and that everything does not need to taste like it is the most amazing thing I ever ate. Sometimes my kids don't absolutely LOVE the taste of something. I often tell them that eating is about nourishing our bodies, it is not always about gratifying our flesh. This is where I imagine that I differ from many people. When I eat only to gratify my flesh, eating only what I LIKE, then I feel that I become addicted to those kinds of foods. This is absolutely unhealthy. I have given this a lot of thought lately. Why is it so difficult for people to give up sugar and white flour and refined, processed, harmful foods? Why do people ingest things that are harmful to themselves, that are disease causing? Why do we, as a society refuse to believe that what we put into our bodies is affecting our health? Why is it easier to believe that putting the wrong oil in our cars is bad for our cars? Well, I guess it's because our cars will break down faster than our bodies will.

In the last few months I have tried to do the "moderation" thing meaning that I have allowed myself to eat more refined foods than I normally would. I think partly I don't always want to be the "different" one. So, guess what happened? I found myself depressed, always thinking about the next yummy thing I want to eat but shouldn't. I have been exhausted, unable to wake up early to get to the gym, I gained 5 pounds, my back has been killing me, etc..... This has lead me to really try to figure out what is going on. What I have found is that food, refined, processed foods that have been stripped of essential nutrients and have had synthetic additives put into them are addicting. Stop and ask yourself. Can you stop eating those things right now? Ask yourself if you knowingly ingest things on a regular basis that are not good for your health. Have you tried to give these things up and go on a diet? Were you successful? Do these foods give you energy and vitality or do they make you gain weight and risk your health?

Are the foods you eat regularly known to cause heart disease and cancer? If you know that what you eat causes weight gain and being overweight can lead to disease and death, should you continue to eat these things? Do you sneak food or eat things that you committed not to eat? Is a few moments of pleasure more important to you than your health and your life? Do processed and refined foods have a hold on you? It's important to ask ourselves these questions. Maybe you just enjoy processed foods and don't overeat them. I cannot do that. For me, moderation of things that are harmful to my health does not really work. Maybe if it's only every very little once in a while, but moderation on a regular basis absolutely messes me up completely.

Our culture has made it so normal to eat these damaging foods that obesity is now one of the top health concerns in our country. People can't lose weight. It is just so sad. Once we understand that those foods are actually addictive, then we can begin to move on and realize that it is not so much our lack of self control, it is much more a lack of knowledge. We are living on food that has little to no nutritional value and then after we eat, we are hungry because our bodies are trying to ask us for nutrients that we are not ever going to get from a compormised diet. Our bodies are crying out for nutrition which is disguised as hunger. We end up craving more of the bad food and so the viscous cycle goes. It is a lack of nutrition much more than it is a lack of self control in my opinion.

One way to combat these unhealthy cravings is to eat nutrient dense foods. The most nutrition filled foods are those that are deep green or sprouted. These are the biggest cancer fighters! One of the easiest ways to add a lot of these nutrients to our bodies is by drinking green smoothies. My favorite green smoothie is a mixture of organic blueberries, strawberries and greens such as kale, spinach, baby lettuce mix, or romaine lettuce and water. I add "Power Organics" Klamath Power 3 which is a mixture of blue green algae, spirulina and chlorella. Nothing will help remove cravings more than deep greens. I buy mine through www.rawvegansource.com I also add a tablespoon of raw, organic sprouted chia seed powder and a scoop of brown rice protein powder. That is my breakfast right now. You can change up the green smoothie and there are all sorts of recipes out there. 'Green for Life' is a book specifically about green smoothies.

Constantly feeling guilty about what we eat is unhealthy. Instead we must become proactive about dealing with the addictiveness of processed foods. Food addictions are commonplace today and it's no wonder. I was watching basketball the other day and I was AMAZED at the constant bombarding of commercials about unhealthy foods. It practically makes you not be able to withstand the temptation. They throw it at us just like they do sex, violence, etc... We have to wake up to this type of brainwashing. If you are realizing that food has a hold on you, do not feel like an alien from another planet. It is commonplace now.

My next blog entry will be about ways to combat these addictions with a good diet. I will give you tips on how to change your lifestyle to one of health and wellness.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I have learned how to make a super healthy treat called "raw" ice cream. The "raw" way of eating is becoming more and more popular though many people have not heard of it. I do not eat a 100% raw diet, but I do recommend adding lots of raw foods into your diet. Raw foods are foods that basically have not been heated above 118 degrees and have not been processed. This does not include meat. Raw foodists have diets made up mostly of fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, and sprouted grains. There is a myriad of possibilities when you combine all of these to make deliciously nutritious foods. When you heat food above 118 degrees, the enzymes and many nutrients are destroyed. The idea is to eat food in it's natural form.

I have been experimenting with many yummy raw treats for my family and I have learned to make ice cream with no dairy or sugar, all raw and very outstanding. Check out this video to see how it's done!

Everyday we are unnecessarily exposing ourselves to toxins that are avoidable. Usually people are just unaware that these toxins cause disease. Following is a list of toxins to avoid according to David Servan-Schreiber, MD, author of the book Anti-Caner: A New Way of Life:

Traditional methods of dry-cleaning which leave a residue on the garments. The toxic residue is called perchloroethylene/terachloroethylene. Air out your garments for at least 24 hours before bringing them inside. Remember to remove the plastic before airing them out.

Ingredients in cosmetics, shampoos, lotions, etc... to avoid are parabens or phthalates. The specific names for some of these are BBP and DEHP and methylparaben, polyparaben, isoparaben, butylparaben.

For a complete list of suspect pesticides to avoid visit www.panna.org

Do not heat plastics containing PVCs as these are transfered into food when the food is heated in plastic. Heat food in glass or ceramic containers or better yet, in stainless pots on the stove and not in the microwave!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Have you tried a zillion different creams that have claimed to remove your wrinkles? Let's face it, we all want to look younger, but is there really a safe and effective wrinkle remover on the market? Many people turn to unhealthy and downright harmful sources like botox and face-lifts in order to remove wrinkles and look younger. My neighbor who is a nutritionist from Bastyr University introduced me to a new, safe wrinkle remover that I would like to share with you. Click here to see what the media is saying about it and to watch the science behind it! If you are interested in trying this out, you can e-mail me at wrinkleremover@nsedreams.com for a complimentary treatment or to order your wrinkle removal "miracle machine"!!

Meet my friend Diana. Diana used this product for 90 days in the clinical trial.

Cover up one side of her face, now the other. Can you see the amazing difference? I know this woman and I have seen what these wrinkle removal products have accomplished on her face in a short time and an affordable way!! It is truly amazing!

You can also tighten loose skin with this product very effectively.

And... many people have been searching for a safe way to reduce cellulite. Look at this.

For more information on how you can look younger and remove your wrinkles, loose skin and cellulite, visit my anti-aging website.

It's finally here! My new cooking show domonstrations have begun. After having had many people ask to come and have raw food preparation lessons in my home, I decided to begin filming my demonstrations so that many people can learn how easy it is to make healthy, yummy and easy living foods at home!!!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Are you looking for some extra guidance on your journey towards health? Well, here is the answer you have been looking for. It's the "Get Healthy Boot Camp" with Dr. Donato. He is the man that coached Clent Mannich, the once 400lb. diabetic, back to health. Clent now weighs 170 lb. and no longer has any symptoms of diabetes.

Course Description:

This intensive 12-hr live webinar uses advanced cyber technology so that it simulates a regular class room lecture with instructor's PowerPoint slides viewed from each registrant's personal computer screen. A live discussion and question and answer session is also part of the webinar experience. Whether using a telephone or headset to listen and talk to the speaker while viewing the slide presentation on the computer screen, this advanced technology allows anyone around the world to take this course without leaving the home or office.

The Get Healthy Web Camp is patterned after Dolphin's flagship Get Healthy Boot Camp.

The Web Camp will include course notes, assignments for food preps and practical applications. Health screens (done at home or at a health professional's clinic) for the pre-web camp and post-web camp data is kept by registrant for personal record keeping. Dolphin will not keep registrant web camp data.

Health screens should include the following data: weight, height, fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), abdominal girth (level of navel). Before and after photos are highly recommended but not required.

For individuals under medical care or prescription medications, please get clearance from your primary care physician before registering for the course.

Recommended Reading (not included in the registration fee):

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, PhD Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD God's Way to Ultimate Health by George Malkmus Recipes for Life by Rhonda Malkmus Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko 12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko Healing Cancer from Inside Out DVD by Mike AndersonDolphin Health & Education will not be held responsible for any unfavorable outcomes from this web camp.

This course has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. You are fully responsible and are taking the course at your own risk.

A signed waiver is required at registration time.

For more information, contact info@dolphindoctor.org or call the office at 541-857-2678.

Friday, January 30, 2009

I want to share with you a major health secret. Greens are the most important, nutrient dense food you can eat. Green smoothies were developed by raw food pioneer, chef, author and educator Victoria Boutenko. It was her solution to the problem of not getting enough greens into her diet. Green smoothies are very simple to make and the healthiest thing you can eat. I am including an excerpt from her latest newsletter below about a man who has lost 220 lbs. in one year on green smoothies. He had been given 2 to 4 years to live because he was 400 lbs. and diabetic with high blood pressure. He no longer takes medications and has no symptoms of diabetes anymore. Here is his amazing story.

"Clent has lost 220 pounds to date, became free of diabetes symptoms, returned to normal blood pressure, naturally shrunk the hanging skin without surgery, and climbed to the top of Mount Whitney – the tallest mountain in the U.S. at 14,497 feet - all in only 51 weeks!

Clent’s success is largely due to the consumption of Green Smoothies on a daily basis. Green Smoothies are prepared in minutes by blending 60% fruit (such as apples, bananas and mangoes), 40% green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, romaine lettuce, etc…) and water. Clent’s magical transformation naturally attracted attention from his fellow employees and customers alike. (Read Clent's six month update) After being interviewed, Clent now receives hundreds of emails and phone calls a day asking him how he did it." Read Clent's 51 week update http://www.greensmoothierevolution.com/update.htm

Here is a link to Sergei Boutenko, Victoria's son, demonstrating how to make a green smoothie. Scroll down the page a little and you will see the u-tube video window. Just click on the arrow on the screen.http://www.rawfamily.com/products.htm

You can also Google "green smoothies" for recipe ideas. Read Victoria's book Green For Life if you really want the full benefits of green smoothies.

My husband is going on a green smoothie diet after the Super Bowl. Comment below if you would like to join him. We do not have a blender yet, so as soon as we get that worked out, we are going start. More to come on that!

Mix all ingredients together and let stand for 1 hour before serving. Serve as a side dish with dinner or on top of a green salad for a nutrition packed lunch. For instructions on growing your own sprouts, visit my article "How To Grow Sprouts and Why You Should Eat Them" at

There is one question I am asked very often. "Isn't it expensive to eat healthy?" Well, for many reasons, I believe it is expensive to eat unhealthy. Think of how much it costs to go to the doctor, to buy medications, to have no energy. My energy is abounding these days! I can go on so much less sleep than I used to. My family never has to go to a doctor or take any medications. I have also learned a few tricks for healthy eating on a tight budget. I will share all of these tips with you in my new article "Feeding Your Family Organic Food on a Budget."

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My name is Maria Rippo and I am the blessed wife of Tobin and mother of 4 wonderful little miracles. They range in age from 14 down to 6. I am the creator of Be Wellthy, Inc. and www.thegreensmoothiechallenge.com. I became interested in whole foods nutrition in college and have been learning more every since. I am so thankful to have met many people who have knowledge in this area that I have been able to learn from and I am thankful to have many people in my life who try to eat this way that inspire me. I hope that some of that knowledge and inspiration can be of help to others who are interested in learning more about eating healthy!! Please scroll down to my first blog entry to see why I started this blog and why I called it Wellthy Momma:)
I think it is difficult in our culture to eat perfectly well all the time, so I suggest a "Fusion Diet" where you begin adding very healthy things into the diet you already eat. I believe that if you begin to eat more living foods and sprouted foods, your body will begin to crave those and you will eat less of the dead processed foods that will negatively affect your health.

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The information on this website should not be considered medical advice. The information given here is only the opinion of the author and is not meant to treat, diagnose, prescribe or cure any ailment. Always check with your physician before taking any products or following any advice you have read on http://www.bewellthy.blogspot.com/. Always consult your doctor before you start, stop or change anything that has been previously prescribed. Certain herbs and holistic remedies are unsuitable to take if you are pregnant or nursing and must always be cleared by your doctor before use.